2025 Award Winners [view photos]

Viewers’ Choice – Jerry Frye (Blanchardville, Wis.), I Came, I Saw, I Munched (Birds & Bees)

Novice Eye 1st Place: Thomas Ren (Sheboygan, Wis.), Enjoy Peace

Macro 1st Place: Katherine Westover (Sherwood, Wis.), No Mow Morning
Macro 2nd Place: Katherine Murphy (Fitchburg, Wis.), Peony
Macro 3rd Place: Kurt Huebner (Mukwonago, Wis.), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on a Zinnia
Honorable Mention: Laura Anderson (Madison, Wis.), Tiny Wonder

Landscape 1st Place: Susanne Payne (DeForest, Wis.), Spring in the Shenandoah Valley
Landscape 2nd Place: Chuck Gustke (DeForest, Wis.), Driftless Area Cornfield
Landscape 3rd Place: Katherine Westover (Sherwood, Wis.), Intoxicating
Honorable Mention: Katherine Murphy (Fitchburg, Wis.), Forest Light

Plants & Flowers 1st Place: Cheryl Schiltz (Madison, Wis.), Lovely Lupines
Plants & Flowers 2nd Place: Kurt Huebner (Mukwonago, Wis.), Burrs
Plants & Flowers 3rd Place: Susanne Payne (DeForest, Wis.), After the Celebration
Honorable Mention: Sarah Swanson (Fitchburg, Wis.), Pink Hibiscus

Birds & Bees 1st Place: Katherine Westover (Sherwood, Wis.), Another Fine Mess
Birds & Bees 2nd Place: Michael Anderson (Madison, Wis.), Red Admiral on Lavender
Birds & Bees 3rd Place: Pamela Charvat (Columbus, Wis.), Hummingbird

Abstract 1st Place: Chuck Gustke (DeForest, Wis.), Water Nymph
Abstract 2nd Place: Laura Anderson (Madison, Wis.), Verdant Ripples
Abstract 3rd Place: Melissa Lauer (Janesville, Wis.), Blue

Phone/Tablet 1st Place: Katherine Westover (Sherwood, Wis.), Social Climber
Phone/Tablet 2nd Place: Melissa Roelli (Dodgeville, Wis.), Tall Fall
Phone/Tablet 3rd Place: Chuck Gustke (DeForest, Wis.), Golden Banks Manitowish River

Phone/Tablet Honorable Mention: Laura Anderson (Madison, Wis.), Puddle #3

Phone/Tablet Honorable Mention: Katherine Murphy (Fitchburg, Wis.), Ready to Fly on a Breeze

Competition Prizes

Viewers’ Choice $100

These prizes will be awarded in each category:
1st Place $50
2nd Place $25
3rd Place $10

Entries Categories

1. Novice Eye (Ages 7-15)
2. Macro
3. Landscape
4. Plants & Flowers
5. Birds & Bees (animal life)
6. Abstract
7. Phone/Tablet (any image taken with a phone or tablet)

Competition Rules

• Open to amateur photographers from Wisconsin.
• Youth (ages 7-15) may enter the Novice Eye category. All other categories are for adults ages 16 and older.
• All works must be original to the exhibitor.
• All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared in the viewfinder (a “Photograph”).
• Photographs previously entered in the competition are not eligible for re-entry.
• AI-generated images are not eligible.
• Photographs may be color, black and white or sepia.
• All photographs must include plant material.
• Photographs may not be digitally altered beyond standard optimization. Acceptable changes include removal of dust, cropping, reasonable adjustments to exposure, color and contrast, etc., and use of HDR (High Dynamic Range), where multiple exposures of the same scene are combined for a greater tonal range. Photographs that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization will be disqualified. If requested by the judging team, you will be required to provide the original image file so they can determine if the changes to an image are significant enough to disqualify an entry.
• Each photograph must be entered with a separate application form.
• Each person may enter up to one photograph per category.
• Entry form and digital photograph must be received by December 15, 2024.
• All decisions by the jury and judges are final. The jury reserves the right to reject or reclassify any entry.
• Employees of PBS Wisconsin, Educational Communications Board (ECB) and their immediate families are not eligible.
• Photographs may be used in future Garden & Green Living Expo promotional materials. Photographer credit will be included.

2025 Entry

• The 2025 competition online entry form is available here.
• The entry fee is $5 per photo. The Novice Eye category is free.
• Each entry must include a high-resolution digital photograph. Image must have a long dimension of at least 1000 pixels and less than 3000 pixels. Save file as a JPG. The file size should be at least 2 MB and no more than 25 MB. Please name your file accordingly: “Category-LastName-PhotoTitle”.
• You will be notified by January 15, 2025 if your photograph is selected by the jury to be exhibited at PBS Wisconsin’s Garden & Green Living Expo, February 7-9 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

Display Requirements

• Selected photographs will be displayed at Garden & Green Living Expo, February 7-9, 2025.
• Exhibitor must prepare photograph for display by mounting the photograph on white mountboard or foamcore. When attaching the image to the board, avoid using tape of any kind except “linen” tape. If mounting directly onto the board, an archival spray mount is fine. These materials are available both online and at craft and framing stores. Your photograph can be either mounted directly to the backing board or with a traditional “window” mount. A minimum 2” border on all sides of the photo is required. Photos must be at least 8” x 10” excluding mountboard and cannot exceed 18” x 24” including mountboard. An alternative to mounting yourself is to use an online service. Simply upload your image, add a white border, and have it mounted and shipped.
• Label the following information on back of the mountboard: exhibitor name, email, entry category, photograph orientation (vertical/horizontal), and photographer city and state.
• Your mounted photograph must be mailed and received by Garden & Green Living Expo staff by January 31, 2025.
• Garden & Green Living Expo is not responsible for damage or loss of any photograph.

Judging

• Selected photographs will be displayed at Garden & Green Living Expo, February 7-9, 2025.
• Photographs will be individually reviewed by judges prior to the virtual Garden & Green Living Expo. Photographs will be scored as follows: creativity, composition and technical merit.
• Attendees will vote for their favorite photograph, and the Viewers’ Choice award will be announced at 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 8.
• Winnings will be mailed within 60 days after the show closes.

Judges

JAMES GILL is a Madison based still photographer who worked for PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio for 37 years. Since his retirement in 2017, he has continued to photograph for clients such as Madison Opera, The UW Foundation, UW Credit Union, Isthmus and many others. While specializing in portraiture, his nationally-known nature and landscape photographs are an important part of his work. An avid gardener, James often retreats to his backyard to fight mosquitoes and photograph plant forms. James’ images can be seen at jamesgillphotography.com.

AMANDALYNN JONES grew up in the North woods of Wisconsin. Inspired by her mother, a plein air watercolor artist, who instilled a love for visual arts and the environment from a young age, Amandalynn has a deep love for being outdoors, creating. She pursued a formal education in Fine Art, and after graduating from the Institute of American Indian Arts in 2005, she began focusing heavily on digital photography. She has worked as a successful freelance commercial, wedding, and portrait photographer in the Madison area for more than 10 years and has seen her work featured in publications throughout Wisconsin and across the United States. Her personal passion projects feature her love of natural wonders, from sweeping landscapes to the glowing aurora borealis. Amandalynn lives in Middleton with her husband, two children, and their beloved pup. Amandalynn’s images can be seen at amandalynnjones.com.

BRIAN LORBIECKI has been a Madison-based, award-winning graphic designer for more than 40 years, working on staff at PBS Wisconsin and with freelance clients. Photography has been essential to this work. He has extensive experience maximizing the potential of photographic images. Brian’s work as an art director on numerous photo shoots with a variety of photographers has given him a keen eye when interpreting the visual image. He is looking forward to his work on the jury.